Tiffany Shlain and her film studio, The Moxie Institute, have launched the first call for entries for videos and artwork to help make their next film, The Science of Character.

WATCH: Tiffany Shlain’s Collaborative Film Model Boosts Non-Profits

This film explores why “character” matters. Can you shape who you are and who you will become? New research suggests you can – that we can teach and shape character strengths (things like optimism, self-control, and curiosity) to help us live more fulfilling lives. Moxie would love for you to help them explore The Science of Character. It should only take a few minutes. Find out how to participate here.

This new film is part of The Moxie Institute’s Let It Ripple: Mobile Films for Global Change short film series, which uses a new way of making films called cloud filmmaking, which uses artwork and footage created by people all over the world to make a globally collaborative film. Moxie then makes free customized versions for nonprofits all over the world. The institute has already made over 400 of these films in the first year since launch.

Watch Tiffany Shlain talk to genConnect about Let it Ripple and cloud filmmaking, below:

Related: ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats

Moxie has partnered with Talenthouse for a call for artwork for “The Science of Character.” They are looking for art (illustration, graphic design, photography, collage, anything you’ve already created or perhaps are inspired to create) that represents the character strengths of: Perseverance, curiosity, self-control, social intelligence, enthusiasm, optimism and gratitude. If you’d like, you can include the word visually on the work, or you can just let Moxie know what word you’re interpreting. You are welcome to submit a piece of art that you already have, or create something new. All the info for artists is available here.

Twitter: Participate in new film by @tiffanyshlain on #character – only takes a couple min – watch here: http://on.fb.me/XHiXFO

Facebook: Go to www.facebook.com/connectedthefilm and “share” the video on the top of the feed.
Then type in: Participate in Tiffany Shlain’s new film The Science of Character! Only takes a couple minutes. Watch video and find out more here:http://on.fb.me/XHiXFO

The Moxie Institute also thanks you for all your iTunes love! The acclaimed feature documentary, “Connected: An Autoblogography about Love, Death & Technology,” which explores what it means to be “connected” in the 21st century, is not only available on iTunes, but also on additional online Video on Demand platforms through the Sundance #ArtistServices program. The film is also available on Cable on Demand throughout the U.S. and Canada through the distributor Cinedigm.

Click here to check out Connected on iTunes

“So many nonprofits are doing important work, but they don’t have inspiring media, they don’t have the money to do it,” Shlain says. “I went to a wonderful visionary funder and I said ‘fund this one movie and a lot of outreach and I’m going to make hundreds of versions of this movie for people.’” Watch Shlain discuss Moxie Institute’s giving-back business model:

In the spirit of collaboration with nonprofits, filmmakers will replace their “call to action” at the end of Let It Ripple films with an organization’s “call to action,” its logo, and its Web site address to use for any event or campaign to help make the world a better place.

“If you work for any nonprofit that’s looking for an inspiring film for your event, for your fundraising campaign, to inspire your base, we will make a customized version of that film for free for you,” says Shlain, who also directed “Connected,” which premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival.

Related: ENGAGE – Tiffany Shlain’s New Cloud-Sourced Film

It is part of Shlain’s “Cloudfilmmaking Manifesto”:

1. To use the cloud to collaboratively create films with people from all over the world.

2. To create films about ideas that speak to the most universal qualities of human life, focusing on what connects us, rather than what divides us.

3. To give back as much as is received, by offering free customized films to organizations around the world to further their message.

4. To use the cloud to translate films into as many languages as possible.

5. To push the boundaries of both filmmaking and distribution by combining the newest collaborative tools available online with the potential of all the people in the world.

Other short films in the Let It Ripple series are “Engage” and “Brain Power: From Neurons to Networks.” Upcoming movies will explore money, power, wisdom, death and happiness, Shlain says.

Related: ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats

“We’re going to hit on all the things that connect us as humans,” Shlain says.” I am a curious person and I love collaborating.”

Tiffany Shlain’s “Brain Power,” a TED e-Book, and corresponding 10-minute film are now available for purchase for the Kindle and Nook, as well as through the iBookstore. Or, download the TED Books app for your iPad or iPhone, and get a subscription with a new TED Book every two weeks. The “Brain Power” film uses a participatory filmmaking process called “Cloud Filmmaking.” The book expands on the ideas in the film by sharing deeper research, videos, graphics and links that explore the increasingly intertwined worlds of advanced neuroscience research and cutting-edge technology.

Watch the “Brain Power” short film below: 

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of the latest contributions from experts: Sign Up for genConnect.

Over the course of six months, Shlain and her team asked people from all over the world to film themselves feeling their heartbeat and thinking about what it means. The result? Her latest film, called ENGAGE: (Keep your eye out for genConnect in the credits!)

Tiffany Shlain

Related: ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats

Highlighting a new genre of filmmaking called Cloud Filmmaking, Shlain employs user-submitted content to collaboratively create, translate and customize films. ENGAGE seeks to remind us that life can be short and ultimately asks, “How are you going to engage?” It is the third film in the digital short film series Let it Ripple: Mobile Films For Global Change.

Engage has been translated into Swahili, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, and Russian.

Click here to learn more about Cloud Filmmaking and how you can become a part of Shlain’s next big film.

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of the latest contributions from experts: Sign Up for genConnect.

As a filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards, one of Newsweek‘s “Women Shaping the 21st Century” and director of the acclaimed documentary, “Connected: An Autobiography about Love, Death & Technology,” Tiffany Shlain is changing the way people make and watch films.

In fact, earlier this year she received a Disruptive Innovation Award from the Tribeca Film Festival. Tapping into new video-sharing technologies and tools, Shlain and her team at The Moxie Institute created a new genre of filmmaking called Cloud Filmmaking, which employs user-submitted content to collaboratively create, translate and customize films.

Related: ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats

Her work is exploding globally, currently translated into 65 languages, and her newest film ENGAGE will premiere on Saturday, September 8th 2012, at the 10th annual Interdependence Day Celebration 2012 in Los Angeles. Interdependence Day is an international celebration of citizens without borders, civic governance among cities, global justice and democracy.  The celebrations take place simultaneously across numerous cities around the world including London, Berlin, Singapore and Melbourne.

ENGAGE seeks to remind us that life can be short and ultimately asks, “How are you going to engage?” It is the third film in the digital short film series Let it Ripple: Mobile Films For Global Change.

Other films in the series include:

• A Declaration of Interdependence, a rewriting the U.S. Declaration of Independence. Animated by Stefan Nadelman, with music by Moby, the film is an exhilarating montage of user-generated content, a global mash-up demonstrating the vast potential of creative collaboration in the 21st century. The film has been translated into 65 languages and customized for 100 organizations.

• Brain Power: From Synapses to Hyperlinks, looks at new research from Harvard and The University of Washington on how to best develop children’s brains and links it to ideas on how to grow the global brain of the Internet. Sneak peeks at: The Economist “Human Potential” conference in NYC (Sept 27) & The Boston Museum of Science (Sept 28). There is also an accompanying TED Book that expands on all the ideas and research in the book. Both will be released simultaneously in the fall.

• An untitled film about building “character” will be released in early 2013.

Click here to learn more about Cloud Filmmaking and how you can become a part of Shlain’s next big film.

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of the latest contributions from experts: Sign Up for genConnect.

Are you a film lover? Here’s your chance to be part of a movie in the making…

Honored by Newsweek as one of the “Women Shaping the 21st Century,” Tiffany Shlain is the award-winning filmmaker behind “Connected: An Autobiogography About Love, Death, & Technology” and the founder of The Webby Awards.

Shlain’s films have received over 50 awards and distinctions but for her next film, she needs your help. The filmmaker is calling all graphic designers, illustrators, and photographers to submit work for her new short film called “Brain Power,” chronicling the most important first years of a child’s brain development. Watch Shlain describe her next film:

Related: Webby Awards Founder Tiffany Shlain’s Favorite Organizations

There are two open calls for participation, both ending on FEBRUARY 27, 2012. You are welcome to participate in one or both:

1. Graphic Artists: Calling all graphic artists, illustrators, and photographers to submit your artistic interpretations of the brain to our Talenthouse competition. Learn all about it and participate HERE.

2. Short video clips: Calling all parents, grandparents, older siblings, or other adult who spend a lot of time with a child (or children) between the ages of 0 and 5. It will only take five minutes!

Shlain and her team are looking for videos of two things:

• Video of your child running directly into your arms for a hug.
• Video of you and the child(ren) doing your favorite activities together: cooking, reading, dancing, exploring, playing, telling stories … however you like to spend time with your child -they want video of it!

Related: ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats

Record with whatever you have handy – your phone, a video camera, your laptop – any device that records video. You can also send in your favorite clips from the past (as long as they’re digital). Ideally, find a background that reflects something about your home or culture. Shlain get entries from all over the world, so the more it can display where you’re from, the better.

Click here to learn more and see submission examples. Get creative. Click here to submit your videos and email jesse@connectedthefilm.com with questions.

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of the latest contributions from experts: Sign Up for genConnect.

Tiffany Shlain has been honored by Newsweek as one of the “Women Shaping the 21st Century.” As a filmmaker, founder of The Webby Awards, co-founder of The International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences and a Henry Crown Fellow of The Aspen Institute, Shlain’s work in film and technology has received 48 awards and distinctions and her last four films premiered at Sundance. Her new acclaimed feature documentary, “Connected: An Autoblogography about Love, Death & Technology,“ explores what it means to be “connected” in the 21st century.

Tiffany also finds time to do charity work and volunteer. Below, Tiffany details some of her favorite organizations, and why she’s involved:

The Hope Phones Campaign

The Hope Phones campaign speaks to so many things I care about: Interdependence, empowering people with technology, recycling … and making the world’s knowledge accessible to all. The Hope Phones campaign gives old mobiles new life on the front lines of global healthcare. Half a million phones are discarded in the United States every day, polluting our environment. But these phones can have a greater value. Through responsible recycling initiatives, we fund Medic Mobile’s healthcare projects and connect communities worldwide.

Related: Watch genConnect’s interview with Hope Phones and Medic Mobile’s Founder Josh Nesbit

Planned Parenthood

For more than 90 years, Planned Parenthood has promoted a commonsense approach to women’s health and well-being, based on respect for each individual’s right to make informed, independent decisions about health, sex, and family planning.

826 Valencia

826 Valencia is a non-profit organization in the U.S. dedicated to supporting students ages six to 18 with their writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. I love the education and support what 826 offers to the youth today in finding their voice and reaffirming that their voice matters.

International Museum Of Women

We need to recognize all the voices and perspectives in the world. For too long, only men were represented. I remember when I was studying film history at UC Berkeley, only men were highlighted in the books. I had to dig very deep to find pioneering women filmmakers—and by the way, I found them! IMOW ensures that women artists from around the world are highlighted.

Follow Tiffany Shlain on her Web site, Facebook and Twitter (@tiffanyshlain)

For more from Tiffany Shlain on genConnect:

• ‘Connected’ Director Tiffany Shlain Takes Weekly Technology Shabbats
• Film Director Tiffany Shlain: ‘Connected’ Documentary (VIDEO)
• Tiffany Shlain Describes the Concept of “Connected”
• Tiffany Shlain on Creating the Webby Awards

Want more genConnect?

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of  Tiffany Shlain’s latest posts, as well as the contributions from other experts on the site: Sign Up for genConnect.

Share with us your thoughts in the comments box below.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Shlain and her family recently instituted weekly “technology Shabbats” in which they gather together for 24-hour periods without technology.

“It’s been life-changing for me and my family,” Shlain told the Chronicle.

We interviewed Tiffany Shlain at Aspen Ideas Festival where she explains her film and our perhaps detrimental relationship with technology.

Part of the inspiration for the Shabbats came during the filming of “Connected” when Shlain’s father was diagnosed with brain cancer.

“During my father’s illness, we just realized how short life is,” Shlain said.

Shlain is also the creator of the Webby Awards, presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Launched in 1996 (when the web was considered by many to be an infant), the Webby Awards  honors excellence on the Internet by acknowledging superior web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile.

Although it’s next to impossible for anyone  - let alone a filmmaker - to avoid technology completely today, Shlain believes that taking brief respites from the various digital screens that control our lives is extremely beneficial.

“Today, with everyone moving so quickly, I highly recommend it. Whatever your background is, doing a technology Shabbat or a weekly turning off of all technology is really important.”

Click here to read the full story from the San Francisco Chronicle

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

For more from Tiffany Shlain on genConnect:

• Film Director Tiffany Shlain: ‘Connected’ Documentary (VIDEO)
• Tiffany Shlain Describes the Concept of “Connected”
• Tiffany Shlain on Creating the Webby Awards

Want more genConnect?

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To stay on top of genConnect’s latest posts on the site: Sign Up for genConnect.

Click the play button below to watch genConnect CEO Nancy Spears interview Shlain on her “Connected” documentary debut at the Aspen Ideas Festival:

Her films have been selected at over 100 film festivals including Sundance, Tribeca, and Rotterdam, have won 20 awards including Audience and Grand Jury Prizes, been translated into 8 languages, and been shown at museums including LACMA and Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art. Tiffany’s films are a fusion of documentary and narrative and are known for their whimsical yet provocative approach to unraveling complicated subjects like politics, cultural identity, technology, and music. Her films include “Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Happiness” about reproductive rights in America, and “The Tribe,” an exploration of American Jewish identity through the history of the Barbie doll, and “Yelp: With Apologies to Allen Ginsberg’s Howl,” about our addiction to technology.

genConnect is credentialed press at the 2011 Aspen Ideas Festival in Aspen, Colo., where we are interviewing the premier speakers and attendees at the conference. For more of our video interviews and articles from the Ideas Festival, click here.

Sign up for genConnect.com and automatically be entered to win a trip to Aspen! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter (@genConnected) for additional Ideas Festival coverage (#AspenIdeas).

Tiffany Shlain

Tiffany Shlain sat down with us during the 2010 Aspen Ideas Festival.  Shlain is the creator of the Webby Awards. Launched in 1996 (when the web was considered by many to be an infant), the Webby Awards  honors excellence on the Internet by acknowledging superior web sites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile.

The Webbys are presented by The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences and welcomes high-profile presenters and speakers including political columnist and Huffington Post founder Arianna Huffington, “one of the fathers of the Internet” Vint Cerf, and Virgin Atlantic Chairman Richard Branson.

Today, 15 years after the launch of the Webbys, nearly 1 billion people are online. The web not only engages people emotionally – particularly via web video – but we now have direct ways to act on that emotion, such as texting a donation to victims of last year’s earthquake in Haiti. “In many ways, the web has provided the world with a central nervous system,” Shlain says.

Shlain is now doing filmmaking full-time online, with her “sweet spot” being “the Internet, plus film and social change.”

“I think it’s an incredibly exciting time to be alive, certainly to be a filmmaker,” she says. Watch:

Click here to watch Part 1 of our interview with Tiffany Shlain on her new documentary “Connected.”

For more videos from the 2010 Aspen Ideas Festival:

• John Doerr on the ‘Next Big Deal’ Since the Internet
• Kamala Harris: ‘Safe Crossing the Cyber Street’
• Creativity and Innovation Expert Sir Ken Robinson on Passions and Achievements

Want more genConnect?

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To directly connect with any of our experts, sign up for genConnect.com.

Tiffany Shlain

Watch “2.5 Minutes With genConnect” with Tiffany Shlain — acclaimed filmmaker, artist, founder of The Webby Awards and co-founder of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Science.

Tiffany Shlain spoke with us at the 2010 Aspen Ideas Festival about her latest documentary, “Connected: An Autoblogography About Love, Death and Technology.” The Internet project – that she calls a “declaration of interdependence” – looks at the question: “What does it mean to be connected in the 21st century?”

“Connected” is a feature-length film about being a part of a world that changes faster every day; shorter web versions will also be made available.

Whether it be the environment, economics, or women’s rights, Shlain recently told genConnect that the Internet has shown us how to look at a multitude of issues and to see how they are connected. “We really need to think of all of our problems interdependently and I think that solutions are going to come from that way of thinking,” she said.

Watch Tiffany Shlain on genConnect:

Click here to watch Part 2 of our interview with Tiffany Shlain on The Webby Awards and the Internet today.

The film is receiving critical acclaim. The film was official selected for the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and recipient of the Women in Film Award from National Geographic. Former Vice President and environmental advocate Al Gore said: “With humor, and with a creativity all her own, Tiffany illuminates the issues that affect us all in a way that is both freeing and inspiring.”

Sundance describes the documentary as “vibrant and insightful,” adding:

“Connected” explores the visible and invisible connections linking major issues of our time—the environment, consumption, population growth, technology, human rights, the global economy—while searching for her place in the world during a transformative time in her life. Employing a splendidly imaginative combination of animation and archival footage, plus several surprises, Shlain constructs a chronological tour of Western modernization through the work of her late father, Leonard Shlain, a brain surgeon and best-selling author of Art & Physics and The Alphabet Versus the Goddess.

Click here to watch the YouTube trailer for “Connected”.

For more videos from the 2010 Aspen Ideas Festival:

• Innovation Expert Sir Ken Robinson: Life Isn’t ‘A Production Line’
• Biz Stone and Evan Williams: The ‘Throw Up’ Effect of Twitter
• Connie Yowell: How Digital Media Has Dramatically Changed the Way We Learn

Want more genConnect?

• For more daily expert updates, follow genConnect on Twitter and Facebook.
• To directly connect with any of our experts, sign up for genConnect.com.